Urination

B.C. (Before Cpap), I was getting up to go several times a night. Normal, strong urine flow. I’d tried saw palmetto and some other wonder supplement just see what happened. They did nothing.

I asked my doctor, “What do I do with the mask when I have to get up several times a night to pee?” She said most likely I’d stop waking up to pee. Apparently, the brain interprets shallow sleep as “time to go pee!” Deeper sleep “covers” the urge, driving it deeper into the mind’s murky depths where it stops bugging me.

I was skeptical, but hopeful that she was right. She was!

With one nagging caveat - I get up zero to one time a night to pee, but the flow now is weak and it feels Like by bladder’s never quite empty. This continues all throughout the day.

Normal?

JJR wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 27, 2018 6:31 pm

Apparently, the brain interprets shallow sleep as “time to go pee!” Deeper sleep “covers” the urge, driving it deeper into the mind’s murky depths where it stops bugging me

What actually happens is that you can't breathe, your body starts to panic, your heart rate spikes, your blood pressure goes up, and a hormone is released to tell the kidneys "EMERGENCY! WE HAVE TO GET THE BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN! MAKE MORE URINE!!! (reducing the blood volume will reduce the BP). so the kidneys go into overdrive, and fill up your bladder.

Normally, when you sleep, the kidneys go into a 'urine concentration' mode, where they produce a smaller volume, so that you can sleep through the night without having to get up.

Pugsy has a link to a more scientifically worded version of that, but that's the high level view.

Exactly what he says.
If the weak flow continues throughout the day, it is not related to cpap use.
Drink more water or see a urologist.

Very interesting, the body really takes care of itself.

JJR wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 27, 2018 8:00 pm

Very interesting, the body really takes care of itself.

Well, if it really took care of itself, it'd keep it's bloody airway open and we wouldn't have to resort to cpap!

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 27, 2018 8:48 pm

Well, if it really took care of itself, it'd keep it's bloody airway open and we wouldn't have to resort to cpap!

LOL I agree Palerider!

JJR, very often new users report that their previously frequent nightly "pee runs" are a thing of the past once they start using CPAP and I love reading these threads because it's tangible evidence just how much OSA was affecting them before, and how CPAP is resolving this issue.

Of course there are other medical reasons why people pee often at night, arousing them from sleep, but for many of us CPAP makes a huge difference.

YAY CPAP!

As for the weak urine flow during the day and feeling that your bladder doesn't completely empty, speak to your doc about that.

Testify!

It's nice to not have to get up three times a night any longer. I'd totally forgotten about this particular blessing of CPAP! Now getting up in the middle of the night to pee is pretty infrequent.

If you're new to CPAP, it may not happen immediately, but as your body adjusts to the new sleep cycle, it gets better.

Doggone it!
Now I have to lift a leg over the edge of my lilypad!

I wonder how many people that have SA do not know that multiple trips to the bathroom each night is a very good indication of having SA? I bet not 1-in-1oo non-SA educated folks know of this connection; how many doctors do? This is especially important to people that do not have sleep partners and cannot tell their partner that they are snoring. Sadly, I bet SA is much more of a problem than anyone knows.

Arlene1963 wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 28, 2018 4:56 am

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 27, 2018 8:48 pm

Well, if it really took care of itself, it'd keep it's bloody airway open and we wouldn't have to resort to cpap!

LOL I agree Palerider!

JJR, very often new users report that their previously frequent nightly "pee runs" are a thing of the past once they start using CPAP and I love reading these threads because it's tangible evidence just how much OSA was affecting them before, and how CPAP is resolving this issue.

Nighttime peeing, or nocturia, is a common side effect of sleep apnea. I certainly had it. Though in my ignorance back then, I thought "oh, I'm so tired most of the time it's like my kidneys are too tired to work, but at night, when I start sleeping well, my kidneys can start working better.... if only I had a catheter, I could sleep through the night, and I'd feel better, instead of having to get up every hour or two".

If only I'd known then, what I know now.

sptrout wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 28, 2018 11:11 am

I wonder how many people that have SA do not know that multiple trips to the bathroom each night is a very good indication of having SA? I bet not 1-in-1oo non-SA educated folks know of this connection; how many doctors do? This is especially important to people that do not have sleep partners and cannot tell their partner that they are snoring. Sadly, I bet SA is much more of a problem than anyone knows.

Exactly!

I pay close attention to comments made by my friends and acquaintances with regards to their sleep. In fact if they open the door to the conversation re sleep, I am right in there!

Since so many comment on how bad their sleep is (many of my friends who are post menopausal report terrible sleep) I usually ask outright if they make several trips to the bathroom during the night,and most say yes, that this has happened to them since menopause. They just assume it's because they are getting older and it's a part of life. I always suggest they consider having a sleep study just in case the cause is OSA, and tell them that since being on CPAP I no longer have to get up and use the bathroom most nights anymore.

A few have been tested and now use XPAP, but others just laugh because despite all evidence to the contrary they still consider OSA to be a fat snoring man's disease.

JJR wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 27, 2018 6:31 pm

B.C. (Before Cpap), I was getting up to go several times a night. Normal, strong urine flow. I’d tried saw palmetto and some other wonder supplement just see what happened. They did nothing.

I asked my doctor, “What do I do with the mask when I have to get up several times a night to pee?” She said most likely I’d stop waking up to pee. Apparently, the brain interprets shallow sleep as “time to go pee!” Deeper sleep “covers” the urge, driving it deeper into the mind’s murky depths where it stops bugging me.

I was skeptical, but hopeful that she was right. She was!

With one nagging caveat - I get up zero to one time a night to pee, but the flow now is weak and it feels Like by bladder’s never quite empty. This continues all throughout the day.

Normal?

Are you taking any blood pressure medications?
I had that sensation from Diovan/Valsartan years ago. I got switched to Losartan/Cozaar and those symptoms went away.


Den

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Wulfman... wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:27 am

Are you taking any blood pressure medications?
I had that sensation from Diovan/Valsartan years ago. I got switched to Losartan/Cozaar and those symptoms went away.


Den

.
[/quote]

My pulmonary doc just wrote me a prescription for (I think) Lorsitan, so no, I'm not currently on one at all.

JJR wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:50 am

My pulmonary doc just wrote me a prescription for (I think) Lorsitan...

If high or even moderately high, your BP will drop with xPAP therapy. Over time, mine dropped from 210/115 back down to usual low normal. Body will not need to jack up BP to compensate for apnea events and low O2 levels/increased carbon dioxide levels.

Muse-Inc wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:51 pm

If high or even moderately high, your BP will drop with xPAP therapy. Over time, mine dropped from 210/115 back down to usual low normal. Body will not need to jack up BP to compensate for apnea events and low O2 levels/increased carbon dioxide levels.

You got lucky.
Not everyone is so lucky and will have their BP go to normal with effective cpap therapy.
Mine didn't...didn't drop one bit.